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Contributions of Telomerase to Tumorigenesis

  • Chapter
Apoptosis, Senescence, and Cancer

Part of the book series: Cancer Drug Discovery and Development ((CDD&D))

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summary

In eukaryotic cells, the telomere acts as a molecular cap, protecting the chromosome ends and preventing end-to-end fusions. In addition to this end protection function, dysfunctional telomeres limit replicative potential by inducing a non-proliferative state termed replicative senescence. In premalignant cells, telomere loss results in genomic instability, which promotes the formation and selection of pro-tumorigenic mutations. Telomeres are maintained by the reverse transcriptase telomerase, an enzyme whose activity is tightly controlled by limiting the expression of the catalytic subunit, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). The majority of human tumors exhibit abundant telomerase activity, which protects the chromosome ends to prevent additional genomic instability and confers unlimited replicative potential. This unique biochemical activity is vital to tumorigenesis and presents an ideal target for potential pharmacologic and immunologic therapies.

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Authors
  1. Richard Possemato BS
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  2. William C. Hahn MD, PhD
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

    David A. Gewirtz

  2. Departments of Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Biochemistry and Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth, Richmond, VA

    Shawn E. Holt

  3. Departments of Pathology, Human Genetics, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Biochemistry and Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth, Richmond, VA

    Steven Grant

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Possemato, R., Hahn, W.C. (2007). Contributions of Telomerase to Tumorigenesis. In: Gewirtz, D.A., Holt, S.E., Grant, S. (eds) Apoptosis, Senescence, and Cancer. Cancer Drug Discovery and Development. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-221-2_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-221-2_9

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